The joint at the base of the thumb is known as the 1st carpometacarpal (CMC) joint. The bone at the base of the thumb is known as the thumb metacarpal. The trapezium is the bone in the wrist adjacent to the thumb metatacarpal.
Movement of the 1st CMC joint occasionally becomes painful. Reasons for pain of this type include trauma and arthritis. A variety of surgical procedures can be performed to alleviate 1st CMC joint pain. In one surgical procedure, the trapezium is completely removed and the space filled with an interposition graft such as tendon. Another known surgical procedure involves removing only a portion of the trapezium and fixing a spacer to the remaining portion. There remains, however, a continuing need for improved devices and procedures for alleviating pain in the 1st CMC joint.